Reclosing mechanism for circuit breakers



March 18, 1930. H. L. SAMPSON RECLOSING MECHANISM FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERSFiled Jan. 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wyn/far flmryl Jampson 2Sheets-Sheet 2 H. L. SAMPSON Filed Jan. 10,

RECLOSING MECHANISM FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS March 18, 1930.

Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES HENRY L. SAMPSON, OF LOS ANGELES.CALIFORNIA RECLOSING MECHANISM FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS Application filedJanuary 10, 1927. Serial No. 160,138.

This invention has to do with a mechanism operable to re-close a circuitbreaker or the like, and it is an object of the invention'to provide asimple, effective, and inexpensive device of this character. v

In handling and distributing electrical energy, there are numerousplaces requiring the installation of circuit breakers, and in many casesit is desirable that the breakers be reclosed shortly after beingopened, as the causes for the breakers opening are usually onlytemporary. Automatic re-closing mech anisms for circuit breakers havebeen proposed. However, in most cases these devices have been more orless complicated and expensive. I am aware, that a breaker re-closingmechanism has been used employing a weight to accomplish the re-closingaction. This mechanism is apparently an improvement over older types,however, its application is limited and its manner of attachment to abreaker is unsuited for many situations.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a simple, practicaland effective reclosing mechanism employing a weight to reclose thebreaker.

It is another object of my invention to provide improvements in theconstruction and arrangements or parts in a re-closing mechanism of thetype just mentioned.

It is another object of this invention to provide features ofconstruction which minimize the number of working parts and. provide acompact mechanism having a wide range of application.

The various objects and features of my invention will be best and morefully understood from the following detailed descrip-- tion of a typicalform of the invention, throughout which description, reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my improved mechanism showing itoperatively connected with a typical circuit breaker;

Fig. 2, is a plan view of the device being a view taken substantially asindicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a detailed, transverse sectional view of the device, being aview taken as indicated y line 3-3 on Fig- 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line44 on Fig. 1.

The mechanism provided by this invention is particularly suited for usein combination with circuit breakers and for the purpose of facilitatingan understanding of the invention, I will describe a simple formthereof, applied to a typical and standard form of circuit breaker.

The breaker upon being opened is re-closed by pulling out andreturningthe operating handle. 1n the drawings, I have illustrated thecircuit breaker mounted on a panel 10. The breaker includes a hand lever11 pivotally mounted at the front of the panel 10, an operating lever 12at the rear of the panel, a connecting rod 13 extending from the lever12 upwardly to the breaker box or contact mechanism, located above theparts shown in the drawings, and a connecting means 14 between the handlever 11 and the operating lever 12 whereby the lever 12, upon beingmoved to position where the breaker is opened, may be returned to theclosed position by pulling the hand lever forward to the positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and then returning it to its normalclosedposition as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. In the particularbreaker illustrated, the hand lever 11 extends upwardly in a verticaldirection from its pivotal mounting 15 and is adapted to be pulled downor forward when manipulated to re-close the breaker. I have not shownthe details of the breaker mechanism as such parts are familiar to thoseskilled in the art and do not concern the present invention.

The connecting means 14 shown in the drawings includes a pair of links14 connected at one end to the hand lever 11 and at the other end to alever 12 rigid with the lever 12. A pivot pin 14 connects the links 14and the lever 11 by extending through slots 14 formed longitudinally inthe links. Toggle links 14 and 14 form a releasable means for holdingthe pivot pin 14 at the outer ends of the slots 14. The links 14 and 14have their adjoining ends connected together by a pivot pin 14. Theouter end of the link 14 is carrie 011 the pin 14", While I the outerends of the two. corresponding links between the outer art of the arm 31and the 14' are carried by a pivot pin extendin beouter part of the andlever 11 and a con-, tween links 14 at a point inward of themner nectingrod 33 connecting the outer part' of ends of the slots 14. Stops 14 areprovided the arm 31 with the forward arm 23 of the on the links 14 tostop the to gle in position lever 17. The arm ,31 is pivotally mountedwhere the pin 14 is held att e outer-end of at 15 and the brace member32 connects the the slots. The toggle is adapted to be brokarm 31 andlever '11'so that they move toen or released by an electric control 14gether about the mounting 15. The connect which has a plunger 14 thatmoves up to ing rod 33 is connected to the outer arm 31 engage a trigger14 on the link 14. A througl a pivot in 34 and is connected to 75 spring14 is connected with theparts to northe outerend of t e forward arm 23through mally urge the links 14 in the direction i' a pivot pin 35. Withthis arrangement, dicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. When the movement ofthe connectingrod through pivelectric control 14 i's'operated, saymomenotal movement of the lever 17 will cause tarily, the toggle is broen upwardly allowpivotal movement of the arm 31 and correing thespring14 to o erate the parts, causspending pivotal movement ofthe handlever ing the llnks to move orward. During this 11. The housing 22 isprovidedv at its foro eration the pin 14 0 crates in the slots 14". wardend with a vertical slot 36and at its I forward until the toggle dropsback into set pass the arms 23 and 24, respectively, of the o reset thebreaker t e handle 11 is pulled rear end with a vertical slot 37, whichslots or aligned osition and is then pushed back, lever 17, allowing thepivotal movement of returning t e parts to the position shown in thelever 17 between t e position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. full linesand that shown in dotted lines in The mechanism provided by my presentFig. 1 of the drawings. This pivotal moveinvention for operating thehand lever 11 of merit ofthe lever .17 is communicated tothe the circuitbreaker in a manner to re-close the 'handlever 11 through the connectingmeans breaker, is preferably mounted on the floor 18 and actuates thehand lever in a manner below the circuit breaker so that it is unnecestore-close the circuit breaker. I sary to apply or add parts to the panel10. The means 19 provided for lifting the The mechanism includesgenerally, an operweight 16 and releasing it so that it will drop, atingweight '16, a lever 17 carrying the includes a member 40 rotatablycarried on a weight, an operating connection 18 between shaft 41 andprovided with one or more prothe lever 17 and the lever 11 of thecircuit jections 42 arranged to co-operate with the breaker, liftingmeans 19 operable to raise arm 24 of the lever 17. In the preferredarthe weight and then release it, allowing it to rangement, the member40 is in the form of fall, and power means 20 for actuating the acomparatively large gear, and is mounted at lifting means. one side ofthe lever 24 and in mesh with a The mechanism is preferably providedpinion 43 on the shaft 26. The shaft 26 is with a base .plate 21 onwhich the various adapted to be driven from a drive shaft 44 parts aremounted and with a housing 22 to through a worm gear 45 on the driveshaft surround the principal parts of the mechaand aworm wheel on theshaft 26. The worm nism. The lever 17 is pivotally supported gear 45 andworm wheel 46 mesh so that the intermediate its ends so that it has aforward rotation of the drive shaft 44 causes rotation arm 23 projectingfrom the forward end of of the shaft 26 which carries with it the pinionthe housing and a rear arm 24 projecting 43 and thereby causes rotationof the gear 11 from the rear end of the housing. The lever 40. In theform of the invention shown in is provided intermediate its ends withabearthe drawings, there are two projections 42 ing part 25 which isrotatably carried on a on the side of the gear 40 adjoining the armshaft 26 mounted transversely in the hous- 24. The projetcions aremounted near the peing. The shaft is carried in a bearing 27 riphery ofthe gear 40 and are adapted to ensupported by a frame 28 and a bearing29 gage underaplate 48 projecting from the side carried by one side ofthe housing. of the arm 24. As the gear 40 rotates, the The weight 16 iscarried on the rear arm projection 42 on the upwardly moving part 24 andin the arrangement illustrated in the of the gearmoves to engage underthe plate drawings, the weight is mounted on the arm 48 to lift the arm24 from the position shown at the exterior of the housing 22. The weightin full lines in Fig. 1, to that shown in dotted may be formed in twosections to be clamped lines in Fig. l, and when-the arm 24 is lifted tothe arm 24 by bolts 30, This construction to the up position the saidprojection will permits of the weight being readily removed pass fromunder or beyond the end of the from the arm and also allows it to beadlate 48 releasing the arm allowing it to usted to any desired positionon the arm. returned to the down position through The operatingconnection 18 between the the action of the weight 16. In the particulevers 17 and 11 includes an arm 31 extendlar arrangement shown, thelever 24 is adapting forward from the pivotal mounting 15 ed to belifted twice during each revolution of the hai ijd' lever 11, a brace 32extending of the gear 40 and therefore there are two projections 42 onthe gear which projections are located 180,apart on the gear. Inpractice, the projections carry rollers which engage the plate 48 toreduce friction between these parts.

The power means 20 provided for actuating the lifting means 25 mayinclude an electric motor mounted on the base 21 and directly connectedwith the drive shaft 44. The motor may he comparatively small, as thegearing arrangement which I have provided effects a substantial speedreduction between the drive shaft 44 and gear 40.

I mayprovide an electric control in connection with my mechanism wherebythe motor 20 is automatically put into operation when it is required tore-close the breaker which mechanism may be of the type set forth in myco-pending application entitled Electrical control, filed Jan. 10, 1927,Serial Number 160,137. In the drawings I have indicated the electriccontrol device at 50. I have shown the control device 50- mounted on thehousing 22 with its operating lever 51 operatively connected with thelever 12 of the circuit breaker through a suitable connecting-rod 52.With this arrangement the electric control is effectively andconveniently connected with the circuit breaker so that the reclosingdevice is put into operation when the breaker opens.

When the breaker is open, the movement of the lever 12 caused by theopening of the breaker, causes actuation of the electric control 50through the rod 52. The electric control may be such as to immediatelyput the motor 20 into operation so that the gear 40 starts to turn inthe direction indicated by the arrow. in Fig. 1, causing one of theprojections to engage the plate 48 on the arm 24 to gradually lift thearm until it reaches the up position whereupon the said pro ect1onpasses out of engagement with the plate and the arm 24 is released toreturn to its down position by the action of the weight. It Wlll beobvious from Fig. 1 of the drawings, how this movement of the arm 24causes the hand lever 11 of the circuit breaker to be pulled forward andthen quickly returned in a manner to cause re-closing of the circuitbreaker. The fact that the weight is lifted slowly enables me to use acomparatively small motor 20, thus making the apparatus comparativelysimple and inexpensive. I will call particular attention to the factthat the various parts of my device are arranged in a very simple andcompact manner so that the de vice involves comparatively few parts andis reliable in operation.

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention I do notwish to limit myself to the specific details set forth, but wish toreserve to myself any changes or va iati ns that may appear tofthd'seskilled in the art or fall within thescope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim 1. An attachment for a circuitbreaker for reclosing the circuit breaker including a shaft, :1 motor,a. drive connection between the shaft and motor, a lever pivotallymounted on said shaft and adapted to be operatively connected with thebreaker. a weight on one end of the lever, a pinion fixed on the shaft,a gear mounted on an axis spaced from the shaft to mesh with the pinion,and a projection on the gear to engage and lift the lever and thenrelease it.

2. An attachment for a circuit breaker for reclosing the circuit breakerincluding a shaft, a motor, a worm gear drive connection between theshaft and motor, a lever pivotally mounted on the shaft, a connectingrod attached to the lever and adapted to be connected with a part of thebreaker, a weight on one end of the lever, a pinion on the shaft. a gearmounted on an axis spaced from the shaft to mesh with the pinion, and aprojection on the gear to engage and lift the lever and then release it.

3. An attachment for a circuit breaker for reclosing the circuit breakerincluding a shaft. a motor, a drive connection between theshaft andmotor. a lever pivotally mounted on the shaft and adapted to beoperatively connected with the breaker, a weight on one end of thelever, a pinion on the shaft, a gear mounted on an axis spaced from theshaft to mesh with the pinion, and spaced projections pn the gear tosuccessively lift and release the ever.

4. A reclosing mechanism for a circuit breaker having a pivotallymounted operating member, including a motor, a shaft, a drive connectionbetween the motor and shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on the shaft, a

weight in connection with the lever, a pinion on the shaft, a gearmounted to mesh with the pinion, a projection on the gear to lift andrelease the lever, and an operating connection between the lever andoperating member, including an arm extending from the pivotal mountingof the member, a brace between the arm and member, and a connecting rodconnecting the lever and the outer part of the arm.

5. A reclosing mechanism for a cricuit breaker having a pivotallymounted operating member, including a motor, a shaft, a drive connectionbetween the motor and shaft,

including a. worm gear driven by the motor and a worm wheel on the shaftin mesh with the worm gear, a lever pivotally mounted on the shaft, a.weight in connection with the lever, a pinion on the shaft, a gearmounted to mesh with the pinion, a projection on the gear to lift andrelease the lever, and an op-, erating connection between the lever andoperating member, including an arm extending from the pivotal mountingof the member, a, brace between the arm and member, and a connecting rodconnecting the lever and the outer part of the arm.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 7th day 0' December, 1926.

HENRY L. SAMPSON.

